Exodus 21:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If a man sells his daughter into servitude and she fails to find favor with her master, and he does not honor the commitment to marry her as he initially intended, then he must not sell her because he deceived her after taking her in.

The regulations surrounding concubinage safeguard the Hebrew servant from abuse and the risk of being sold to a foreign national, while also addressing her domestic circumstances with her master. It is noteworthy that if she is wed to the master's son, she does not impede his ability to marry a woman of equal status, who would take precedence as the primary wife. Her lord is obliged to provide her with clothing, nourishment, and even marital intimacy, as their union is enduring (save for the situation of divorce) due to the bonds of matrimony. In Deuteronomy 21:14, there is a directive that further illustrates the regard held for cohabitation with a woman. A female servant or captive who shared intimacy with an Israelite could not be sold to another person; once she no longer pleased him, she was granted her freedom.